THE COST OF “FREE”
I have long believed that the word ‘FREE’ is perhaps the most abused and misused word in our language.
Almost nothing is truly ‘FREE’. Somebody, usually you, paid something for whatever it is, either directly or indirectly.
Does anybody feel that anything you get from the government is free? Really?
But even on a consumer level consider the following:
For example: BUY ONE – GET ONE FREE! The cost of the item you are getting ‘FREE’ is ‘buried’ in the profit of the one you paid for. It would be more accurate and truthful to say something like: Buy one item and receive an additional item “free” of additional cost but in today’s world that is not ‘smart’ advertising.
We got into a big fight with eBay because they “strongly suggested” to us as a Seller to start listing our items with “Free Shipping”. “Strongly suggested” is a phrase that I remember from my days long ago in the Army when it was often phrased “We can’t make you do this but we can make you wish you had” I argued with eBay that there is no such thing as “Free” shipping because shipping costs money. Their reply was that it is not dis-honest or unreasonable to build the cost of shipping into the cost of the product and therefor you can offer “Free Shipping” because you do not have to add an additional amount to the purchase price to cover the cost of delivery. When a potential buyer looks at the product they do not have to do the mental math to add on the shipping charge. In the end we found out eBay was right (from a marketing perspective). Customers love ” Free” shipping. To this day I hate it that eBay was right. Maybe I’m just a sore loser. Still, it violates all logic from my perspective.
In fact the logic behind all this “FREE” stuff just makes me crazy but it is rampant in our world today. Everywhere you look, somebody is offering something for “FREE”. I believe we need to remember that the bean counters who rule our world have built the true cost of “FREE” into the cost of the products we buy. In the end “it ain’t Free”. There is a cost for “Free”.
Remember that the cost to the seller for the “FREE” coupons you use is built into the average selling price you pay for the products you buy.
Here is another thought to lock away. If you think your home is “FREE and CLEAR” when you pay off your mortgage, try not paying your property taxes for a couple of years and see what happens. You see, you can never truly own your home as “FREE and CLEAR” property. In reality, you are only renting it from the government.
Learn to be naturally suspicious when someone offers you something for “FREE”.
Who was the singer whose song included the line “Freedoms just another word for nothing left to lose”? (Janis Joplin – from her song “Me and Bobby McGee”)
……Bob
